


Gentil

by Magical_Awesome_Kid



Series: Lucky Charm [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Lucky Charm, Read the first part first, second story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 16:00:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4967233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magical_Awesome_Kid/pseuds/Magical_Awesome_Kid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A battle with a Akuma chef leaves Chat's costume torn, and Ladybug with a revelation. Sequel to <i>A Wish</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Gentil

            “CHAT! WATCH OUT!” Ladybug yelled too late. The Sharp Chef – a cook that had been converted into an akuma after she had taken one too many abusive words from her boss even as she was a great chef – threw a knife at Chat. He’d been bouncing back off a wall, and, as she watched, he contorted his body.

            The angle was still bad, though, and the knife grazed his chest.

            And before he could further react, a meat mallet took him by the exposed abdomen.

            Chat landed painfully as he crunched inward. The girl’s eyes widened at the sight before she turned her glare back to the akuma. “You’re going to pay for hurting my cat!” She threw before throwing up her Yo-yo. “Lucky charm!”

            From the spin of light, a metallic plate fell into her hand. Instantly, she knew what to do with it. She had become so in tune with her luck powers over the past few months that it was a quick deduction.

            “Oh, I know quite a few dishes that I could use you in instead!” The chef denoted as a barrage of cooking equipment came flying towards the bug-hero.

            Ladybug had none of it. From the corner of her eye, she could see Chat wince as he leaned back. He had taken an actual hit. There was blood, and no one, _no one_ hurt her kitten.

            Because they were partners.

            They were friends.

            He was one of her best and most trusted friend in the two years and some time more that they had known one another.

            Ladybug ducked around the bowls and knives, forks and mallets that came flying at her head, her body. With a keen eye, she weaved around the objects like a bug in the breeze. Suddenly, a knife, a rather large one that she knew had once been used for Hibachi but now was holding an evil butterfly, for lack of better terms.

            Lady reacted without second thought. She used the dish to smack the giant knife out of her face, and the dish and knife, in a loud CLASH, went flying off to the side as Ladybug and Sharp Chef were thrown in opposite directions.

            Ladybug looked up as the Chef landed closer to the fallen weapons. The woman stood, straightening her apron before laughing maniacly. “You think you can disarm a chef of her own tools? I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD!” She screeched as Ladybug, standing slowly, knew that she wouldn’t make it in time. Plus, she had nothing now strong enough to get through the steel of the blade.

            “Cataclysm!” Both woman turned as Chat, using one hand to hold the front of his leather jacket together, held a ball of black magic in his spare. Using all his might, he slashed through the blade, shattering it as a black butterfly came loose.

            Ladybug’s clean-up was quick after that. The Sharp Chef was no more as the red cleansing light spread out to undo the damage. However, none neared her cat as he slumped against a light post nearby.

            Ladybug knew something was wrong.

            She moved quickly, even as her earring alerted her that her magic was going to cut out soon. Using their special moves was draining to say the least, but the fact that Chat was hurt took precedence over getting away.

            She rushed up as he stood, steadying his form. “Wow, kitty, your hurt.” Lady chided carefully in soft tones as her Chat (and when did she start referring to him as her cat?) looked up with those brilliant green eyes.

            His grin was as flirty as ever. “Nothing to it, my Lady. Just got the wind knocked out of me.” He stood, with a wince, but that only exposed how much the leather had been torn. Ladybug, considering the height difference, was looking into the crook of his keck where the cut had sliced through the zipper of his leather. A black undershirt looked, thankfully, unharmed, though there was a big bruise running up his side now from what she could see. Ladybug winced. Magical heroes or not, that was going to hurt.

            But then something else caught her eye.

            Tucked carefully under where the bell of his suit usually hung, a silver chain peaked out from his collar line. She stared at it for a second, seeing a small tube having taken a knick from the attack.

            _Gentil._

            Ladybug blinked, but she leaned in closer even as both her and Chat’s stones rang of depleting energy.

            Chat gulped as he leaned back slightly, a blush on his face. “Geez, if you wanted to check out my bell, I would have let you.” It was a terrible attempt at suave if ever, but he had never had the Lady this close. Her forehead was practically to his lips.

            His crush on her had never wavered, even as he developed another for a sweet girl in his class. Since his birthday, he had come to be very fond of her, but it was his duel life that kept him at bay. He knew that coming close to her could lead to danger, his bad luck at the very least, and he could never do that to her.

            And here was his Lady invading his personal space more than ever, and it sent a shiver up his spine.

            The girl, however, was focused on something else. A gasp escaped as she leapt back.

            _Gentil._

            _Kind._

            Those words burned into her mind, the mind that had taken painstaking hours to weld it into a tiny charm. She knew that charm like the back of her hand, and she knew that the boy she had given it to wore it nearly every day to class.

            Chat looked back at her with those questioning green eyes, face flushed with a tinge of red as Ladybug, Marinette, suddenly found herself looking beyond the mask. Those familiar eyes of her most trusted friend transformed into the eyes of her biggest crush and back. That hair fell back into a clean style before the whirlwind of her mind shook it up again. Those gentle, kind words spoken to her and the friendly hugs between her civilian crush and her hero crush blurred together.

            They were the same.

            They were the same people.

            They were filled with the same _kindness._

            And then an hand fell on her shoulder, snapping Marinette, Ladybug, from her ramming of thoughts. Chat looked into her eyes worriedly, but spoke strongly. “We need to go. You’re on your last dot, and I have one claw left.”

            Ladybug nodded. “Follow me.” She said as she took the hand that held her shoulder. She would transform first, both knew. Chat had more energy left than her.

            Chat Noir’s eyes widened as he looked at the girl. “But…. My Lady, I’ll see your identity.” He pointed out. He hated not knowing, but he had to make the point. For as long as they’d known one another, he and she had kept the two sides of the mask separate.

            Ladybug’s eyes were steel though, determined. “Look, you silly cat, I know you’ve wanted to know forever, and I think it’s time you did.” She smiled softly, though. “Because you already know me so well.”

            Chat had a few seconds of pulling by her until they found themselves in an quiet alleyway. _He knew her so well._ What did that even mean? Yes, they knew about everything in their hero lives, but he hardly knew anything about her behind the mask sans a few tidbits of information she had spilled over the years. The way she spoke, it was like…

            There was a flash of pink, redrawing his attention. From the floor came a swirl of light, revealing pink flats, colored pants, a familiar shirt. Chat felt his eyes widen further as the transformation completed, and, before him, was none other than one of his best friends, the girl who had drawn his attention in ways only Ladybug once could, Marinette Cheng.

            And all she did was smile. “Told you that you knew me.”

            Chat suddenly took a back seat as Adrien was left grasping for straws. “Marinette?” He gasped at the girl, who had a small red creature settle on her right shoulder.

            She giggled at his expression. “Well, this does certainly explain why you and I always seem to be missing class at the same time.”

            He shook his head as the paw of his ring blinked. He was about to transform back. “But… How long have you…” He was cut off as a swirl of black magic left his feat, swirling up to reveal street clothes. Plagg, of course, landed in his hair, curling into it as he watched the other two carefully. “How long have you known that I… I mean…”

            She blushed a ruby red that was so brilliant on her face. “About five minutes.” She admitted.

            Adrien blinked. “What?”

            Marinette seemed to stare at her shoes for a moment before the red creature – her Kwami, nudged her. She looked back up, with those eyes so filled with both the nervousness and sweetness of his best friend and the strength of his Lady. “You’re necklace.” She admitted as she pointed to his neck. “I’d recognize my work anywhere, even in battle. When it came to me…. I just… It didn’t seem fair for me to know and you, who wanted to all this time and all…”

            Adrien could fill in the rest of her thought. He and Ladybug had a telepathic wave of sorts, the ways they worked together. He and Marinette shared many things as well, mystifying their friends as they talked on any number of topics for hours. Suddenly, the beating of his heart spread to his lungs, to the rest of his body, and, before he knew what he was doing, he was pulling her into a hug.

            There was stiff silence for a minute, a whole solid minute, as nothing moved. Then, the beats turned into snickers, and Marinette tried to bite down on her lip as Adrien’s shoulders hunched.

            The alley filled with laughter from the two teenagers.

            Marinette finally hugged the boy back, laughing as they leaned upon one another. Finally, Adrien found his voice as he leaned back. “So, I guess it was _kind_ of you to break the whole secret thing.”

            “Are you kidding?” Marinette quirked an eyebrow. “I wasn’t thinking straight at all.”

            “Still.” His smile never wavered.

            “If you two are done.” Plagg cut in as he floated down. “I’m hungry and want cheese. I put so much work in today!” He complained as Adrien shot the Kwami a look.

            Her Kwami, however, seemed to have the same idea. “Shh! I’ve been waiting for something like this forever!” The ladybug-like creature complained to the black cat. Said black cat, oh so mighty and wise, stuck his tongue out at her.

            “Plagg! Be nice!” Adrien chided as Marinette began to giggle.

            “Plagg… Nice to meet you.” She said as she freed a hand, holding it up to the cat Kwami. Plagg seemed to stare at it for a second before setting a little paw on one finger.

            “Nice to meet you. No wonder this knucklehead has a crush on you.” Plagg added in approval.

            Adrien’s face, if possible, went even more red. “Plagg!”

            “What? It’s true!” The cat Kwami threw back.

            Marinette’s face went even more red as her Kwami giggled. “See? I told you Adrien liked you, too!”

            “Tikki!” Marinette whined as the red creature ducked her hand.

            “You know, I’m hungry, too.” Tikki added with a smile as she turned to the other Kwami. “Want to come with us home? Marinette’s parents make the BEST cheese bread.”

            “Cheese bread! Yum!” Plagg did a little flip in the air. “I gotta try it!”

            The two teenagers, now standing side-by side, stared at their Kwami’s before laughing out loud once more. “Well, if Tikki’s going to invite… Plagg? Plagg over, it seems rude not to invite you as well. They DO have a fresh batch of Macaroons today.”

            Marinette hadn’t seen Adrien this happy since his party. “Macaroons? You know me too well, My Lady.” Adrien said before his words caught up to his brain. “I mean…”

            Marinette giggled, her face as red as ever. “I don’t mind, if you don’t mind me calling you a silly cat from time to time.”

            “That sounds… pretty nice.” Adrien smiled back as Marinette nodded her head.

            “You’ve been to the bakery with Alya and Nino, but I know a short cut. Coming?” The black-ette noted to the blonde as she took a step down the alley, Tikki planting herself firmly on the other girl’s shoulder.

            Adrien grinned as he followed in step with the girl, the girl who had somehow come to infatuate both sides of his personality, come to care for him even against his worst luck. In fact, he was sure that Marinette had to be the biggest lucky star in his life since they had first become friends.

            Adrien couldn’t help it. “That would be very kind of you.”

**Author's Note:**

> So, they find out the other's identities and it's awkward and adorable all rolled into one! This fic makes a difference though - they have been friends for a while on both sides of the mask. Adrien has had a chance to develop a but of a crush on Marinette because of how sweet and kind she is, and Marinette has been able to admit that she has the tiniest of interests in Chat (ok, a bit more than that, but she didn't want to inflate his ego).
> 
> Long story short, this is what the charm was always meant for - a lucky charm. Because, as luck would have it, those two would eventually know each other, as superheroes and as normal Parisian teenagers.


End file.
